The strength of senior Decatur swimmer Tommy Cunningham in freestyle swims along with junior teammate Robert Sobus, stroking to consistently good finishes in his freestyles, meant their school would finish best of our local schools all competing at the West Central District Swim and Dive Championships Saturday, Feb. 2.

"It's nice to be back. This is my home team. I graduated from Decatur in '98," said Russ Neal, the Gators' head coach who qualified into the postseason 10 years ago for the Gators. "It's nice to see them doing well."

Decatur finished sixth overall, collecting 95 points while Federal Way and Todd Beamer tied with 69 apiece. Thomas Jefferson was a distant placer, with only one swimmer, a freshman, competing for them at districts.

For the Titans, teammates Tommy Fraychineaud with 376.05 points and Ludomir Wanot with 312.40, took first and second place, respectively, in diving.

The Gators look like a team that will be able to move on to the next meet which is this coming Saturday - state -- which will be held Feb. 16-17, with preliminaries and finals day one and two, respectively, in their practicing stomping grounds of the King County Weyerhaueser Aquatics Center.

"We will be back at our home pool, that's where we really do well," said Neal.

Cunningham did best of all the swimmers, taking second in the 100 free for his best event. He was into the wall at 47.91 while foe, Seth Parker, hit the wall at 47.29.

Both will be at state and it's Cunningham who knows what he will do different to take things hopefully in a positive direction.

"He defnitely got me in my turns," said Cunningham.

That was a technical thing that Cunningham thought hurt him, but there was a physical thing, too, that hindered him that should be a thing of the past at this coming weekend's state meet.

"I think with a little rest I can take him," said Cunningham.

"With him rested going into state, I think he will do well," said Neal.

Beat Parker?

"I think so," said Neal. "He had a 2 1/2 hour practice (before districts) this morning. That tired him out."

So beat Parker in the 100 free?

Neal smiled. He knew that winning the 100 free over Parker may very well mean a state championship for the Gators as well as for Cunningham.

"I think he will be on his game," said Neal. "He wants to go out with a bang his senior year."

Cunningham also took third in the 200 free in a time of 1:48.37.

In the 100 free, Cunningham is less than a second from Parker, who will be the main competition for Cunningham at state as well as some unknowns from other districts, including over the mountains on the east side of the state.

Actually, Parker is from the peninsula -- Central Kitsap.

Parker is not a household name to Cunningham.

"I never met him before," said Cunningham.

Cunningham is a leader on the Gators.

"He's inspiring to watch," said Neal. "He gets in the water and he's fun to watch."

The Gators' Sobus also held his own in the water, giving his team enough points for a local schools victory even if it wasn't a district meet victory.

He took fourth in the 200 free, finishing in 1:50.62. And then, in the 500 free, Sobus was in after that 20 lap race in at a time of 5:02.28 for second place.

"He's on his game," said Neal of Sobus. "He's dropped eight seconds."

Sobus also dropped three seconds in his 200 free, said Neal.

"He finally made state times (at districts). The competition has motivated him," said Neal.

The Decatur 200 free relay team of Zach Klein, Tanner Brotherton, Sobus and Cunningham altogether finished in second place with a time of 1:33.94, a personal best and good enough to get them to state qualification. That time was four hundredths of a second worse than needed for state qualification but their 1:33.47 time in prelims was more than enough seconds below the 1:33.90 state qualification time to make up for it.

"We've been struggling all season long," said Neal. "But we put it together for this one."

The same was the case for Sobus, who had a preliminary time of 5:00.80 in the 500 free with the state qualification time being 5:02.

"Guys knew they were in," said Neal.

Federal Way's Cameron Moak did consistently well for his school, getting a third place 22.06 in the 50 free, and third in the 100 free in 48.95, coming in only behind Cunningham and Parker.

Moak took 11th in the 50 free last year.

"My goal is to be top eight," said Moak, a senior.

Moak shifted the focus to his team, and, specifically the 200 medley relay.

Jason Wert, Justin Willis, Brian Shaw, and Moak will go to state together in that event after a fifth place finish at districts.

"We set goals for state," said Moak. "Everyone who swam got personal bests."

Moak attributes much of his success, his relay's success, to his coaches.

"We've been working together with the same coaches for a long time, " said Moak of coach Carla Boone and assistant Tammy Taylor. "I just think they do a good job keeping us together, motivating us."

The Titans Kyle Christenson did well for his team, taking third in the 200 Individual Medley in a time of 2:07.52.

"Last year I allocated to state," said Christensen, a senior. "This year my goal at the beginning of the season was to make state and I had a little New Year's resolution to make the top 16 and get to the second day. I'll see if in the next couple weeks (time leading up to state) I can drop some time."

Titans coach Sue Bergman has a hand on things .

"She pushes us pretty hard in practice, and keeps us moving," said Christensen.

Jordan Gaspay swam for TJ. The freshman Raider swam in the consolation finals at districts in the 200 IM and 100 breaststroke.

Kyle Cassinerio swam in the consolation finals in the 100 backstroke for Todd Beamer.